Welcome
to BK Walker Books Etc. I'm so happy you could join me today at The
Seattle Library

BK:
Looking out the nearest window, describe the scene you see.

JM:
People dancing in the rain.

BK:
Tell us about your office. Is it a mess like mine, or is everything
in its place?

JM:
That depends on what day of the week it is. Friday's and Monday's
it's super clean the rest of the week I can't even find a
highlighter.

BK:
What is a must-have, such as coffee or a favorite pen, that you need
to write?

JM:
Warm fuzzy sock. I love the cold and no matter the season my house is
at 70 and I need my socks.

BK:
Do you like to write in silence, or do you need music or background
noise?

JM:
I need chaos, not total chaos but enough that it punches me into my
own world.

BK:
Tell us a bit about your hero/heroine, and their development.

JM:
My Heroine, Adela Arthur, has just turned 16 and Jumper. Meaning she
always reacts and never really thinks to much about her actions. She
is very level headed and passionate about the people around her. But
because of that she has the tenancy to make their problem's her
problems. She wants to save everyone. Through out the book you
realize she's has a lot of fight within her.

BK:
As a writer myself, I'm always curious how other writers get through
stumble blocks. When you find a story not flowing, or a character
trying to fight you, how do you correct it?

JM:
First thing I do is step away and lay down. I try to think about them
as people and what is causing them to act that way. Everything is
cause and effect. Something I wrote may have cause this so I try read
think over the my choices.

BK:
Using the letters of your first name as an acronym, describe your
book...

Oh
this is hard.

J-
Journeys

U-
Unity

D-
Darnkess

Y-
Yearning

A-
Anticipation

N-
Necessity

N-
New Words

BK:
How did your writing journey begin?

JM:
I'm not sure. I think it's something I've always done. One moment I
was telling bedtime stories to the kids I babysat. The next I was
writing them down at 14. I never really thought I was "writing".
It wasn't until one of my teacher's comment on it when I was in high
school did it really click for me.

BK:
Using the letters from the word, Summer, how would friends and family
describe you?

S-
Sassy

U-
Unique

M-
Multi-talented

M-
Motivating

E-
Empathetic

R-
Rare

BK:
What is the craziest thing you've ever written about, whether it got
published or not?

JM:
The craziest thing would be a short story i'm working on now about a
boy finds can bring dinosaurs back to life. It's for a kid I babysit
who LOVES!

BK:
Tell us one thing you've done in life, that readers would be most
surprised to know.

JM:
I've gone skydiving twice.

BK:
What can we expect from you in the future?

JM:
I have another novel coming out this year by Tri-Destiny Publishing
called Moonrise which follows the romance between an Angel and a
Human.

This
or That...

Coke
or Pepsi?

Neither.
I'm a sprite girl. Sorry

Night
Owl or Early Bird?

Night
owl

Fantasy
or Mystery?

Fantasy

Pen/Paper
or Computer?

Pen/paper

Pizza
or Burger?

Burger

Rock
or Country?

Rock

Chocolate
or Vanilla?

Vanilla

Beach
or Mountains?

Mountains

Thank
you so much for having us as one of your stops today. It has been
great getting to know more about you and your book, and wish you the
best of success!

Also
A fan of writing in odd places like in bathtubs, under staircases, in
a tree, or maybe zoo.

I
was born in Montreal, Canada and a few years later my parents moved
home to the States where I’m currently attending College.

I
don’t know why I never thought about writing. As I was searching
for a niche in everything else I was also writing stories about a
girl searching for where she belongs and people my age going on wild
adventures. One day a teacher of mine, Ms. E. McAllen, asked me what
I loved to do and it finally hit me. I love being a storyteller. But
I was afraid no one would want, or care to read what I had to say.
Until another teacher, Ms. K. Cole gave me the pep talk that changed
my life.

I
wish I could tell you the contents of this book were purely
fictional. That I, Adela Arthur, was just a normal sixteen year old
from Portland and that dragons, giants, elves and mermaids were just
myths. I wish these were legends shared from crazy old grandparents
to crazy old grandparents around campfires. After all, that is what I
used to believe.

I
never would have thought they lived on the other side of our mirrors
in a world called Cielieu. But they do…

I
never would have thought there were humans, better known as Volsin
that lived among them with the ability to create light from a single
thought. But there are…

I
never would have thought I was one of them… But I am…

I
am the last Arthur and I was brought to the human world after a
Volsin, filled with greed, began to strip the light from our kind.

The
human world was supposed to be a safe haven… but he’s found us
and the only way to stop him is to go back to Cielieu and begin
training as a student in the Elpida Castle of Light.

Like
I said I wish the contents of this book were purely fictional and not
my life…

ADELA
ARTHUR

Preface

S
he ran because she had no other choice. She feared what would happen
if she dared to stop. There was no time to think. There was barely
any time for her to breathe. On her broken ankle, she ran. With her
bruised arms, she ran. With her bleeding sides, she ran because she
knew today was the day she was meant to die.

Her
bare feet, covered with everything from wet dirt to dried, dead
leaves to cold ice, took her farther into the forest. She jumped over
the dark fallen log, not caring that the bottom of her pants snagged
on the tip of it. She went on, running deeper, running faster, trying
not to think. Thinking would stop her. Thinking would make her want
to survive. Thinking would cause her to fight, and today she could
not fight. She heard the screeches; she had seen their dark eyes.
They were confirming what she already knew in her heart to be true.
Today was the day she was meant to die.

Snow
fell gently on her like small glimpses of hope. She loved the snow.
But even today it, too, was against her. It knew. It blanketed the
ground and froze her to her core. She slowed, but she didn’t stop
running. Slowing was a mistake, though. Now she could feel the
fatigue as it crept up inside her. She could feel the pain as it came
into her ankle like burning knives slicing away at her. As the
screeches rang through the forest, they too chilled her. Whether she
slowed or not, she was meant to die today.

However,
she had one choice, one option. What was to be her final ground? She
had the choice of where she could die and it wasn’t going to be
here. It wasn’t going to be in the depths of the dark forest. It
would not be fatigue, or hunger, or even the evil creatures that
dwelled inside that forest. She couldn’t die here. It wasn’t good
enough.

She
ran, but again her pace slowed. What a fatal flaw that was, for now
she tripped over the root of a skillful hidden tree. Her body hit the
iced-over, snow-covered ground, adding even more injuries to her
collection. She touched her lip; seeing her blood on her hands
shocked her, stilling her. She was bleeding everywhere, but for some
reason that blood was what stilled her. That was her final fatal flaw
because now she stopped running. Running had calmed her and now that
was gone. A dry sob broke through her lips before the tears came.
They broke so quickly they burned, blinding her.

She
could think now. She knew to what her actions would lead. She knew
she could hurt them all. But it had to be done; it was the only thing
left to do. They would hate her. They wouldn’t understand. They
would have told her there was another way, but there wasn’t. There
just wasn’t. They wished for it to be innocent, clean, easy—but
it couldn’t be. She knew there wasn’t another way. They knew
there wasn’t another way. But they hoped, they prayed, but most of
all, they feared. That they too were like her, that they too were
only prolonging their agony. It wasn’t always like this. I promise
you it wasn’t always like this. There use to be laughter and
harmony, absolute and unfathomable harmony. They wanted that back.
They needed that back. So she had to die today.

She
heard it. She heard his foot upon the snow. Lifting herself from the
ground with great ease, for she no longer hurt, she turned to him,
all the anger in the world directed at him. He—with handsome red
eyes and blond hair—he was the reason she would die today.

“I am not sure if you
are the most reckless girl I have ever met or the wisest.” His
soft, gentle voice rang out—his voice never much higher than a
whisper. It was a deceiving voice. It was the voice of a friend, a
brother, a father; it was a voice of someone who cared.

“This you won’t win.
Haven’t you heard? Light always wins. You scare and you terrify,
but in the end light always wins. So you are the most reckless man I
have ever met, for trying to do the same thing so many others have
tried and failed to do,” she told him through her own tears.

He
simply circled her before speaking again. “Now who lied to you, my
dear? There is no such thing as failure. I have simply discovered
ways that did not work.”

She
looked forward, not speaking to the man behind her. There was no
point wasting the few precious breaths she had left. Her tears flowed
from her eyes, rolling down her cheeks like miniature waterfalls. He
was the reason she would die today.

“How
tragic it is that you will not be alive for me to impart such a
lesson upon you.” That was the last thing she heard before the
darkness came. She hoped; she truly hoped she did not die today for
nothing.

David J Antocci is a noted wordsmith,
blogger and author. His work can be read regularly on the Worcester
Telegram and Gazette website where he has spent many years writing
about the trials and tribulations of being a real life Mr. Mom.
While his first love is music, he has put down the guitar in recent
years in order to pour his passion into writing… and the gentle tap
of the keys on his laptop are much less disruptive late at night when
the children are sleeping. The ESCAPE books are his first
published foray into fiction. He lives in New England with his
beautiful wife and children.

Publisher:
Independently Published by David J AntocciRelease Date:
June 30th 2013

Amazon

Book
Synopsis:

After saving a
drowning man during a savage storm, Abby wakes up in a tropical
paradise in a fight for her life. She has no idea how she got there,
and notices changes in herself that she cannot explain. Haunted by
unsettling dreams of her past, she sets out to escape, joined by
Eric, who finds himself in the same quandary. Standing in their way
is a madman, and his band of willing followers, with a mind set on
murdering their unwelcome visitors. An eccentric hermit who has been
living there for years offers them refuge, but they must deny his
generosity. Escape is their only option. Yet, they discover
this deceptive paradise is harder to leave than they had ever
imagined. One mystery leads to another, until their escape
throws them into even greater danger as Abby’s frightening past
finally catches up with her. Her escape is only the beginning.

HER EYES FLASHED open with a start as
she gasped for air. Heart pounding, she reached up and felt her
moist face. Her eyes were wide open, yet she saw nothing. Blackness
surrounded her. She heard what sounded like white noise all around
her. Reaching down to feel her body, she found that her skin was
cool and wet. A blinding white light streaked across the black sky
above, forcing her eyes closed for a moment. Rain. She realized
that she was hearing rain beat down all around her.

She sat up, with
some effort, her muscles felt very sore. She felt her stomach and
thought that it seemed smaller than it should be. Odd. With another
flash of lightning, she saw waves pounding the beachhead in front of
her. Consumed by confusion, she struggled to remember where she was.
How did I get here? Through the haze, she knew one thing.
She was soaking wet and feeling a chill. She needed a place to dry
out.

Behind her she saw
only trees and darkness. Ahead, she saw the blackness of water as
far as her eyes could focus. To her left, she spotted a cliff
jutting out of the water and up into the emptiness of the sky. There
were a number of trees pushed up against what looked like an overhang
off the side of the cliff. That’s probably the driest spot
around here, she thought. Pushing her wet hair out of her eyes
and running her fingers through it, she couldn’t help but think
that it seemed a little longer than it should. She assumed that was
because it was wet. Where the hell am I? Her thoughts were
fuzzy and she could not put the details together, as hard as she
tried. She wrapped her hair around itself in a quick ponytail to
keep it out of the way.

Still sitting on
the sand and looking around, she wondered if there was anyone else
out here. “Hello?” The crash of the waves and sounds of the
storm drowned out her voice, even to herself. “HELLO!”
Listening, she heard nothing. Wait, was that someone calling?
Looking left and right as the lightning continued to flash, she saw
no one—only empty beach for about a hundred meters in each
direction. The sand pushed up against the cliffs on the left, and
the tree line came out to meet the water on the right.

She put her left
hand on the wet sand and her right hand on her thigh to brace herself
to stand. Her right hand felt something hard and leathery. Her
fingers traced the object. If she did not know better she would say
it was a knife. Perplexed, she wondered, why would I have a knife
strapped to my thigh?

She managed to
stand, though confusion still reigned over her senses. The rain and
waves both let up for a few seconds. There it was. Someone was
definitely shouting. It was coming over the water.

I
see trees gently blowing in the wind. Squirrels are running up and
down the trees and eating the peanuts my husband throws out to them
each morning.

BK:
Tell us about your office. Is it a mess like mine, or is everything
in its place?

Ha!
I would categorize my space as an organized mess. My desk has papers
all over the place and yet I still know where everything is. The desk
is pretty much the messiest part of the room.

BK: I love it - "Organized Mess", I'll have to remember that one :). What is a must-have, such as coffee or a favorite pen, that you need
to write?

I
must have water and scrap paper. The water is definitely needed as I
drink at least 6-8 glasses each day. When I am writing, I often find
myself talking out loud, repeating character lines and so my mouth
sometimes get dry. The scrap paper is for me to jot down ideas when I
am not ready to pursue them at that particular time. Usually these
ideas are about something that will occur later in the story on which
I am currently working.

BK:
Do you like to write in silence, or do you need music or background
noise?

Most
of the time, I write in silence. I turn off the television and
silence my phone. If I cannot silence my phone because I need to be
available for kids or my husband should one of them call, I am
generally pretty good at ignoring other calls. I have special
ringtones programmed in my phone for several people, thus I don’t
need to look at my screen to know who is calling. There are times
when I cannot avoid having background noises because other people are
in the house. In those instances, I have learned how to black out
things around me in order to focus.

BK:
Tell us a bit about your hero/heroine, and their development.

In
the beginning, Lisa is very self-righteous. She seems to have a motto
of “once guilty, always guilty” because she is unmerciful to
anyone who has made a mistake in life. As the story progresses, I
really like the way she develops a sense of compassion and humility.
Unfortunately, it takes a crisis for her to get there, but she does.

BK:
As a writer myself, I'm always curious how other writers get through
stumble blocks. When you find a story not flowing, or a character
trying to fight you, how do you correct it?

I
move on and begin working another scene. I often find that this helps
me connect the dots to other parts of the story. Or, I realize that
the part on which I was stuck will not work and I come up with a
completely new idea. The bottom line is that I keep going. I never
completely stop. I press my way through until something works out.

BK:
Using the letters of your first name as an acronym, describe your
book...

Yummy

Organized

Loveable

Outstanding

Natural

Different

Admirable

BK:
How did your writing journey begin?

It
began with one single idea that would not leave me alone until I made
a commitment to pursue it. My first novel, Soul Matters, was the
start of my officially becoming an author.

BK:
Using the letters from the word, Summer, how would friends and family
describe you?

Smart

Unique

Motivating

Multi-dimensional

Endearing

Reliable

BK:
What is the craziest thing you've ever written about, whether it got
published or not?

I
don’t think I have ever written about anything truly crazy as my
writings have all been purposeful. Now, if you include the chronicles
of my personal journal, that might be a different story as I have
used it to vent from time-to-time. In that case, I am sure there are
plenty of crazy things documented, which will never be published! I
would tell you what I wrote, but I have sworn myself to secrecy. lol

BK:
Tell us one thing you've done in life, that readers would be most
surprised to know.

Sometimes
I act silly and make up raps about random things for absolutely no
reason at all. No record company will be offering me a contract for
any of my raps. I know that I am horrible (so does my familyJ)!
It’s just for fun.

BK:
What can we expect from you in the future?

My
next release in April 2014 will begin a mystery/suspense series. I
also have a young adult story that my agent is currently shopping.

This
or That...

Coke
or Pepsi? Pepsi

Night
Owl or Early Bird? Both at
times, but most often early bird.

Fantasy
or Mystery? Mystery

Pen/Paper
or Computer? Computer

Pizza
or Burger? Pizza

Rock
or Country? Country

Chocolate
or Vanilla? Chocolate

Beach
or Mountains? Beach

Thank
you so much for having us as one of your stops today. It has been
great getting to know more about you and your book, and wish you the
best of success!

Thank
you for being a wonderful host. This has been fun.

BK
Walker

About The Author:

Yolonda
Tonette Sanders took a leap of faith in 2004 when she resigned from
her job with the State of Ohio after only three and a half years to
focus more on writing. It was a leap that she has never regretted. In
2005, her debut novel, Soul Matters,
was published by Walk Worthy Press
and Time Warner (now Hachette Book Group). In 2008, her second book,
Secrets of a Sinner, was
published by Harlequin/Kimani Press. That same year Yolonda started
Yo Productions, LLC, a Christian based literary services and
theatrical entertainment company, which she used to launch and create
her first stage production. The theatrical version of Soul
Matters debuted successfully in
September 2009 at the Capitol Theatre in downtown Columbus, Ohio.
Since then, Strebor Books, an imprint of Simon and Schuster, is
planning to release four of Yolonda’s titles by April 2015.
Currently, Yolonda resides in Columbus, Ohio and is the loving wife
of David, proud mother of Tre and Tia, and joyful caregiver of her
mother, Wilene.

Divorced,
single mother Lisa Hampton is grateful for a fresh start after a
humiliating scandal forced her to relocate from Maryland to Ohio. Her
biggest issue nowadays is dealing with her rebellious teenage
daughter, Chanelle, who is one smart comment away from being
toothless!

Other
than the stress of dealing with Chanelle, life is perfect. Lisa has a
new beau and a steady job that allows her the opportunity to rub
shoulders with very wealthy and influential people. She is best
friends with Isaac and Olivia Scott, an extremely rich and powerful
couple.

When
Chanelle accuses the Scotts’ son of rape, Lisa learns how quickly
her friends become enemies as Olivia and Isaac use their wealth and
power to manipulate justice. The Scotts prove that they are willing
to go to extreme lengths to protect their son, even if it means
destroying both Lisa and Chanelle in the process.

Excerpt

Hearing
the sound of her mother's footsteps descending the hardwood stairs,
Lisa leaned back on the sofa so as not to appear overly anxious.

"Chanelle
still hasn’t made it home?” Her mother’s wire-framed glasses
rested at the tip of her nose while a large green robe concealed her
body.

"Nope.
. ."

"Did
you call Jareeka’s?”

“Yes;
her father said that she and her mother are away for the weekend.”
She felt herself tensing with every word.

“What
about RJ? Have you called him?”

“He
hasn’t seen her either.”

“Well,
don’t come down too hard on her. Maybe she didn't know Jareeka was
out of town and when she found out, she decided to hang with one of
her other friends instead. Now she should’ve at least called and
told you, but she was probably so happy to get out the house that she
forgot. Poor thing; it seems like she’s always on punishment.
Sometimes I think you’re too hard on that girl. I don't want to
meddle—"

"Then
please don't," the thirty-eight-year-old interjected in the most
respectful tone that she could conjure up with a clenched jaw.

"All
right. I'll keep my opinion to myself, but I was merely going to
say that you may want to consider extending Chanelle's curfew.
She’s practically an adult and it’s time you start treating her
like one. Maybe then you’d be less likely to run into this
problem."

An
electrifying jolt shot through Lisa’s body. The way she disciplined
Chanelle had become a constant point of contention between her and
her mother. Thank goodness Hattie would soon be moving into her own
apartment! Lisa could not wait!

“That
makes absolutely no sense!” she fired back. “What she is, is
irresponsible. Why should I reward her for not being able to honor
her curfew? And anyhow, she wouldn’t have been on punishment
recently had she not been so smart at the mouth.”

“I
wonder where she got it from . . .” her mother replied cynically,
quickly disappearing into the kitchen and returning moments later.
“Good night."

"The
same to you,” Lisa replied, continuing to stew as the clock read
1:21 a.m. The only other noise she heard was the emptying of the
automatic ice machine until ten minutes or so later when a car pulled
into the driveway. Lisa’s heart began racing when she saw flashing
blue and red lights from the window. It wasn’t her car as she had
thought, but a police cruiser. A gut-wrenching fear fell over her.
Had something horrible happened to Chanelle? She felt guilty about
being so angry and the missed curfew was now a minor issue compared
to the concern that her baby might be lying in the hospital
somewhere. Lisa was horrified by the unlimited possibilities of
things that could’ve happened to her daughter. The pit of her
stomach knotted as she sprang from the couch and raced to the front
door.

Second
Annual Western Roundup Giveaway Hop

It's
a blog hop, so please just follow the blog and enter via Rafflecopter
below. I am giving away some like new (read once)

Louis
L'Amour Books:

In Ride
the Dark Trail, Louis
L’Amour tells the story of Logan Sackett, a cynical drifter who
changes his ways to help a widow keep her land.

Logan
Sackett is wild and rootless, riding west in search of easy living.
Then he meets Emily Talon, a fiery old widow who is even wilder than
he is. Tall and lean, Em is determined to defend herself against the
jealous locals who are trying to take her home. Logan doesn’t want
to get involved—until he finds out that Em was born a Sackett. Em
is bucking overwhelming odds, but Logan won’t let her stand alone.
For even the rebellious drifter knows that part of being a Sackett is
backing up your family when they need you.

In Galloway,
Louis L’Amour tells the story of two brothers who must struggle to
survive in a wild and beautiful land to build themselves a ranch and
a future.

Trouble
was following Flagan Sackett with a vengeance. Captured and tortured
by a band of Apaches, he escaped into the rugged San Juan country,
where he managed to stay alive until his brother Galloway could find
him. But the brothers were about to encounter worse trouble ahead.
Their plan to establish a ranch angered the Dunn clan, who had
decided that the vast range would be theirs alone. Now Galloway and
Flagan would face an enemy who killed for sport—but as long as
other Sacketts lived, they would not fight alone.

In
Lando, Louis L’Amour has created an unforgettable portrait of a
unique American hero.

For
six long years Orlando Sackett survived the horrors of a brutal
Mexican prison. He survived by using his skills as a boxer and by
making three vows. The first was to exact revenge on the hired
killers who framed him. The second was to return to his father. And
the third was to find Gin Locklear. But the world has changed a lot
since Lando left it. His father is missing. The woman he loves is
married. And the killers want him dead. Hardened physically and
emotionally, Lando must begin an epic journey to resolve his past,
even if it costs him his life.

Enter via RC below, then follow the links in the Linky to visit more blogs and enter for other awesome giveaways! Good Luck! :)

Wes
Dodd was born in Lynchburg, Virginia in 1958, currently residing in
Southside Virginia. He has two daughters and three grandchildren.
Within the last couple years he has discovered a passion for creating
and breathing life into great stories. He has published three novels:
The Crimson Key, a mystery, The Secret Guardian, fantasy and Saving
Faith, a romantic thriller.

A
Sacred Society exists amongst us all. Believed only as a myth—its
origin thrives in secret. Once transformed, each generation of its
members become the elite of our society—some for good and some for
evil as well. Troy Anthony, unknowingly and somewhat unwillingly, is
about to join the elite, like his father before him. It takes a close
family friend to ultimately expose the Secret to Troy, revealing his
true destiny, and then she becomes a valuable ally. They
inadvertently share a unique bond—one of which many doubt its very
existence. Troy is taken to two magical places where he learns many
secrets of the world, many of which we all have been curious about.
It becomes an epic battle where Troy clashes with an evil tyrant, his
father’s assassin, a distant cousin sharing many of Troy’s unique
abilities.

Claire
Anthony suddenly rose up in bed, escaping the nightmare which held
her hostage. Breathing heavily as if running from fear, she threw
back the deep heavy quilts and sat nervously on the edge of her bed.
Still shaken, beads of sweat rolled down her forehead, gently sloping
along her narrow cheekbones. Her silken auburn brown hair was
drenched along the hairlines. She sighed heavily as she glanced at
the clock on her night stand—2 a.m.

This
was not a rare nightmare, but rather a recurring one, brought on by a
Secret she had kept for many years, an ancient secret known by only a
few. She needed to reveal the Secret to her son, Troy, even sooner
than she wished. The Secret would change their lives forever if Troy
decided to fulfill his destiny—like his father before him.

She
noticed a mysterious shadow lingering on her rug from the bright moon
shining through her window. Driven by curiosity, she walked to the
window to take a peek, as if searching for someone or something in
particular. The brilliance from the moon illuminated the entire
farmyard, almost like day. After a thorough examination and seeing
nothing out of the ordinary, she quietly returned to bed. She once
again buried herself within heavy handmade quilts passed down to her
from her grandmother, most of which Claire as a child watched her
make.

Claire
and her son, Troy, lived on her grandparents’ farm in Virginia
where she was raised. She lost both of her parents in an auto
accident when she was barely eight years of age. When her
grandparents both passed, she inherited the farm. She and Troy moved
back there after the loss of her husband, Bruce, in the North Tower
during the 9/11 attacks in New York City. Much like herself, Troy had
to deal with death at a very early age. After the tragedy and some
healing time, she thought it best to get her son out of the city,
which prompted her move back to the farm. The farm was nestled in a
small valley amongst the Blue Ridge Mountains near the sleepy little
town of Sweet Springs. Claire recollected the good times she had
growing up there. The clean fresh country air and the friendly people
made it a perfect place for raising her son and teaching him strong
values. The beautiful scenery and a laid-back lifestyle made it
perfect for her as well.

Claire
was a slender woman of forty years, about five-and-a-half feet in
height. Her vivid green eyes and captivating smile made everyone take
notice when she entered a room. Even with hints of gray blending in
with her auburn brown hair, she appeared to be at least ten years
younger than her age. Many men had come calling on her, but she had
turned them all away—graciously.

The
next morning dawned cool and crisp with a bite in the air that
rendered noses and cheeks rosy red, much like good old Saint Nick’s.
The heavy frost had the appearance of a coating of freshly fallen
snow. As the sun peeked over the horizon, the trees sparkled and
glimmered as if infused with magic. The hillsides were speckled
orange with pumpkin patches. The valley was consumed with the
fragrance of seasoned oak and hickory burning in fireplaces. In the
home of Claire and Troy, the aroma of freshly cooked bacon filled
every room—making your tongue tingle, mouth water and stomach cry.

This
aroma awakened Troy every morning at 6:30 sharp. He would always leap
out of bed, bounce down the stairs, and be at the table anxiously
waiting before his mother could finish preparing breakfast. This
morning was oddly different. Claire had finished cooking and Troy was
not yet at the table. She glanced at her grandmother’s antique
clock on the old mantle—6:45. She was astonished, for she had never
had to call him for breakfast before. She made her way to the
hallway, then called up the stairs, “Troy, are you up yet?”